Only 61 out of 360 programmes offered by KNUST accredited – Auditor-General’s report

The Auditor-General’s report for 2021 has revealed that some academic programmes offered by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have not been accredited.

The report dated June 1, 2022, is addressed to the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Alban Bagbin.

According to details of the report, “out of the 360 programmes run by the University, only 61 have been accredited, 190 sent to National Accreditation Board (NAB) for accreditation and reaccreditation with 109 yet to be sent to NAB for accreditation.”

The Auditor-General has therefore “recommended to Management to cease running programmes that are not accredited or having its accredited certificates expired, until they are accredited or renewed, to avoid sanctions by NAB.”

Still on KNUST, the Auditor-General found out that four officers who were granted sabbatical leave by the University, took up various appointments in other government institutions where they are enjoying full (basic salary and other allowances) monthly salaries in addition to basic and Market Premium being paid by the University (KNUST).

According to the report, this has resulted in double payment of basic salary and market premium by government in the sum of GH¢488,868.69.

“We recommended to Management to ensure that the officers refund the salaries paid by the University for the sabbatical leave period to the consolidated fund,” the report indicated.

Details of other findings and recommendations made by the Auditor-General as regards the KNUST are as follows:

Development Office

“We identified a number of defects during our physical inspection of the Proposed Construction of Educational Resort Facilities for the Institute of Distance Learning (IDL) at Moree.

We recommended that the Director of works, and the project supervisors should rectify the defects identified at their own expense.”

Maintenance Unit

“Our audit disclosed that out of GH¢291,771.61 released by the University for maintenance activities, transactions in the sum of GH¢263,596.42 were without relevant supporting documents like Vice Chancellor’s approval and letters of contract engagements, signed sheets, and proper VAT invoices to authenticate the payments.

In the absence of the required supporting documents to prove the legitimacy of the expenditures, we recommended that the technical team at the Maintenance Department (Architect, Site Manager, Administrator, and others) should refund the amount of GH¢263,596.42 to the University.”

Procurement Department

“We noted that Messrs Red Mango Limited who won a contract for the supply of Automatic Turnstile Gate and accessories at the University presented Invalid Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC).

We recommended that the Tender Evaluation Panel should pay critical attention to Section 22 of Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) as amended by Section 7 of the Public Procurement (Amendment) Act, 2016 (Act 914) when evaluating tenders.”

Colleges and Departmental issues – University Printing Press

“We noted from our review of accounts receivables in the Financial Statements of the Printing Press that a total debt of GH¢294,123.00 owed by 14 customers remained uncollected since 2016.

We recommended to Management to institute debt collection strategy to ensure early recovery of the debt and minimise future default rate.”

Source: Eric Mensah-Ayettey